[BILLY D.]

ANDY

I NEVER TALKED ABOUT THIS VIETNAM WAR SUBJECT UNTIL I GOT ON THIS FORUM AND SOMEBODY SAID SOMETHING THAT REALLY SET MY SHORTS ON FIRE. I CAN'T RECALL WHAT IT WAS ALL ABOUT NOW. AND IT REALLY WASN'T ALL THAT IMPORTANT.

I SPENT ALMOST 5 YEARS IN SOUTH EAST ASIA. ONE AS A GENERALS ENLISTED AIDE. SOFT JOB, HE WAS AN AIR ATTATCHE IN THE EMBASSY IN VIENTIENNE LAOS. I WAS HIS COOK, BOTTLE WASHER, DRIVER AND BODY GUARD. GOT SOME FREE TRAINING AT QUANTICO OUT OF IT.

YOU TALK OF BRAVERY, I WASN'T BRAVE OR DIDN'T CONSIDER MYSELF TO BE, AS EVIDENCED BY MY POST ABOVE, WHEN I BLEW LUNCH ALL OVER LAOS BECAUSE I WAS SCARED. I HAVE TEETH, HAIR, GUTS, BRAINS AND BLOOD JUST LIKE ANY OTHER MORTAL. I DID WHAT I GOT PAYED TO DO.

NOW IF YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT HEROES AND BRAVERY THAT HAD TO BE MY WIFE. WHILE I WAS AWAY SHE HAD TO BE MOM AND DAD TO A HOUSEFUL OF KIDS, KEEP THE HOUSE REPAIRED, RUN KIDS ALL OVER HELL AND HALF GEORGIA, REPAIR THE CAR ETC ALL BY HERSELF. SHE WAS MY HERO.

I SPENT A LITTLE OVER 2 1/2 YEARS ON AIRCREW DUTIES FLYING ON BOTH STINGERS AND HELOS AS AN AERIAL GUNNER.

THE REST OF THE TIME I WAS AN AIR FORCE RAMP RAT. LOADED MUNITIONS ON AIRCRAFT.

I SERVED IN THE MILITARY FOR 27 YEARS AND LOVED EVERY MINUTE OF IT. I WOULDN'T CHANGE A THING. IT WAS A PAYBACK ANYWAY SO I DIDN'T LOOK AT IT AS JOB. IT WAS FOR WHAT THE UNITED STATES GAVE MY FAMILY AND I. FREEDOM FROM OPPRESSION.

I FEEL THAT I SHOULD APOLOGIZE TO GOOD OLD BOY FOR STEALING HIS THREAD. THANK YOU MY FRIEND. I SEE YOU FOUND WHAT YOU WERE SEEKING. I'M GLAD OF THAT. I GUESS THE END JUSTIFIES THE MEANS. BUT MY APOLOGY STILL STANDS.

THANKS.